On Dec. 10th I was checking my accounts online (which I regularly do) and noticed an unfamiliar echeck. I immediately called my bank's 800 number and the person who answered was able to give me the phone number and reference number on the phony check (I couldn't make it out on my monitor). She suggested that I call and then go into a branch office of my bank to close the account.
I called the 800# and was told I would be credited for the amount. I googled Hot Planet and came back with plenty of hits. I then spent a good deal of time dealing with this mess, including opening a new account. The branch supervisor put a fraud alert on the old account and so far so good. I reported the incident to www.IC3. Gov and have been contacted by a detective from the sheriff's department in Pitt county NC (I'm in Washington state) about this case. Hundreds of complaints have been filed and millions of dollars have been scammed. My bank was cooperative but would not refund my money. I am going to push them into this.
I have not received a refund and am wondering if anyone has actually been refunded for this scam. I was waiting to close the old account but since reading someone's report that checks have been printed and used from the stolen account numbers, I am going to go ahead and close the account. My bank will not make any further payments out of the old account so you definitely need to have someone with authority mark your account with a fraud alert and note that no further activity (except a refund/deposit) is uathorized.
0 comments